A darkness that is coming

In plague number nine, Darkness came over the land of Egypt as one of the last judgments (Exod. 10:21-29).

It was a darkness so intense it could be felt, it produced a dread in the hearts of the Egyptians. This darkness must have had a tremendous emotional and psychological impact on the nation as it illustrated their spiritual condition. God’s divine judgment was upon Egypt at the same time Israel had light showing God’s grace. For three days the Egyptians and the Israelites were confined to their homes. For the Egyptians, their homes were darkened that they didn’t get up, but for the Israelites, there was light in their homes (10:22-23).

For Pharaoh it was a competition of whose God or gods is greater. This plague of darkness struck hard at the Egyptian deities: aimed at one of the chief deities, the sun god Ra, of whom Pharaoh was a representation, being the incarnation of Horus Ra’s son. Ra was responsible for providing sunlight, warmth, and productivity and protect them from darkness. Other gods, (including Horus), were associated with the sun winged God. Nut, the goddess of the sky, would have been humiliated by this plague. Atum their god of the setting sun, Harakhte the Sun God, Khephre the moon god, Thoth a Moon God. Shu the Sky God.

There are number of ways darkness is used in scripture both metaphorically and literally. John 1:5 “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (Jn.1:68 Mt.4:16, Jn.8:12, 2 Cor.4: Eph.5:8)

Matt 27:45 “Now from the sixth hour until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the land.”

Luke 23:44-45 “Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.”

This darkness was judgment that accompanied the sins of mankind laid upon the sin bearer who is the light of the world.

Could this be Amos 8:9-10“And it shall come to pass in that day," says the Lord GOD,That I will make the sun go down at noon,And I will darken the earth in broad daylight;  I will turn your feasts into mourning,And all your songs into lamentation;I will bring sackcloth on every waist,And baldness on every head;I will make it like mourning for an only son,And its end like a bitter day.

When Christ died we have account of Dionysius a scientist in Egypt that reported he saw darkness at this time. Diogenes “a solar darkness of such like, that either the deity himself suffered at that moment, or sympathize with one that did. “Then the sun was suddenly darkened and the fourteen districts of the city were struck by lightning" (The Annals)

The tribulation will see Supernatural darkness on earth.

Matt 24:29 "Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.”

Once the tribulation begins there will be a series of various darkened days.

Rev. 6:12-13 “He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.”

This describes some type of blackout from the earthquake, these are not eclipse that affect certain areas in a path. These are related to what God did in Egypt to have his people released.

Later in Rev.8:12 at the 4th Trumpet: “And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon , and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night.”

This is showing God having control over creation

Rev. 9:1-3 the fifth angel a star falls from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. And he opened the bottomless pit, and smoke arose out of the pit like the smoke of a great furnace. So the sun and the air were darkened because of the smoke of the pit.”

Rev.16:10-5th Bowl: “the fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and his kingdom became full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues because of the pain.”

God in His word has shown us what darkness is and what light is, Jesus speaks "men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."(John 3:19)  This will become mankind's confrontation with the only true God as he judges this evil we are and do in the end of the last days before he returns.

 

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